Don't Forget...

Buenos dias, Everyone! 

Just wanted to let you know that I am tied up today, but don't forget that today is the last day to enter to win the Brain Quest Hispanic America deck. If you missed that post, head over here to answer a few questions and test your knowledge of Latino history!

We've had quite a few players and at least one Supreme Trivia Master! So get in on the fun and see how well you know your history.

Con mucho cariño...

Science Magazine for Kids

If you haven't guessed it by now, our family is pretty big on science. So I like to keep my eyes open for science products that I think will appeal to my kids without overwhelming them. Of course, there are a LOT of science-oriented products out there (most of which I would LOVE to get my hands on), and here is one that you might enjoy, as well.

KNOW Magazine is a special science magazine geared towards children ages 6 to 9. It is edited by science writer Adrienne Mason, author of over 20 books for children, and features Diane Swanson, one of Canada’s most accomplished children’s science writers. There are a lot of illustrations to accompany the text and most of the topics are covered on one page or less, which is perfect for young readers. Not too overwhelming, but enough to engage and excite them. 

I downloaded a free sample issue and was pleasantly surprised. There are numerous experiments, games, puzzles, and loads of trivia scattered throughout the magazine. I like how they have a section that reviews books for kids BY the kids themselves. And I also love how there is no outside advertising to be seen. (I only saw one advert in the magazine and it was for the KNOW store, which sells books, tees, and such.) The subject matter is age-appropriate, too - dinosaurs, planets, origami, shapes and patterns, frogs, etc.

So if you are looking for a fun magazine to supplement your child's science and math skills, be sure to check out KNOW. You can download a free sample issue by clicking here.

Con mucho cariño...

Hispanic Heritage Month Student Writing Contest

To all our readers who are parents and/or teachers of older children: 

One of my favorite sites, Multilingual Mania, has recently announced that it is hosting its first student writing contest. Open to students in grades 3 – 12, the essay submissions should center around a Latina or Latino who has made a significant impact on a society or a student’s life. This could be a famous Latino or someone the student knows personally.

Submissions in English or Spanish will be accepted between September 20th and October 20th, 2010.

Essays must be submitted via email to multilingualmania(at)yahoo(dot)com and must include the student’s name, grade, and teacher contact information. 

Homeschoolers are welcome to participate.

The prizes are as follows:

1st place: $75 Visa gift card
2nd place: $50 Visa gift card
3rd place: $25 Visa gift card

The teacher of the first prize winner will also receive five biographies about famous Latinos for their classroom library.

For more information, visit Multilingual Mania.

I wish my child was old enough to participate. But for those of you with older children, this is a fantastic opportunity to encourage your children to write, communicate, and learn about the Latino culture. I hope some of you participate, and please let me know if you do! 

¡Buenas suerte a todos!

Con mucho cariño...

See You at the Fair...

This week I'll be spending time at the State Fair of Texas in the Museum of Nature and Science, where my boutique, Latin Baby™, has a booth. This year the museum is hosting the Mundo Latino exhibit, which is celebrating its 14th year at the fair. Each year Munco Latino features an exhibit highlighting the rich Latino culture. The theme changes from year to year, but it usually includes dance, music, food and educational programs from artists and groups representing the Latin world including Mexico, Spain, Central & South America, and the United States.
 
This year's theme is "Space and Beyond" and features Latinos in Science, Mathematics,  Engineering and other Technological fields. Special appearances will be made by Latino astronauts, scientists, engineers, architects, and many others. 
 
If you get a chance to stop by my booth in the Mercado area and say "hola!" I'd love to talk with you! And all MommyMaestra or Latin Baby Book Club readers will get an extra 10% off if you mention that you read this here! We have some wonderful products for sale, including some that were created specifically for the fair. So stop by and see us!

Con cariño...

Weekend Links: Bilingual Kids to Seeds

• Bilingual kids are more efficient learners :: The Gazette

• 10 Things I Didn’t Expect When I Started Speaking Spanish to my Baby :: Spanglish Baby

• Raising Children Who Feel at Home in the World :: The Homeschool Classroom

• Waldorf Toys: Choosing the Best Educational Toys for Your Children :: Simple Homeschool (I LOVE this post!)

• Do You Make These Ten Mistakes In Homeschooling? :: Hot Make

• Let your Child’s Schooling Release her Education :: Simple Mom

• My Havana: Memories of a Cuban Boyhood :: The Latin Baby Book Club

• Fun with Piñatas :: Bilingual Fun

• 2 members of one of the best guitar-playing families share music with Metro Detroit students :: Action News WXYZ.com (SUCH a neat story!)

• Seeds :: The Magnifying Glass

Hispanic Heritage Month Giveaway: Brain Quest Hispanic America

The other day I was walking through the book section of my favorite store when I spotted the Brain Quest Hispanic America edition of their Question & Answer decks. Now, I consider myself to be fairly knowledgeable when it comes to Latino history. And I also love a good game or puzzle. So naturally, I snatched it up casually reached over and placed it in my basket.

On the back of the packet, I noticed it said "It's O.K. to be Smart! Y Chévere También." Ah-ha! Maybe they get it, I thought. So as soon as I made it to the car, I opened it up and started flipping through the questions to see how smart I was. Oops! Okay. So I wasn't quite as chévere as I thought I was. I had just forgotten some stuff. 

Ahem.

Anyway, as I was going through this, I was struck by the diversity of the questions. I mean, there is something for everyone - from novice Spanish speaker to hard-core native, these cards are a delicious mix of easy and hard (or hard and impossible, for those of you who know zilch about Latino history, language, and pop culture!) But, really, it is not geared for young children, so much as it is for people ages 9 to adult. As one of those adults, I had a blast flipping through the decks, and I think most of my friends would, too. But it is a great teaching tool for children learning about the history of Latinos in the Americas.

I have long been a die-hard fan of Brain Quest products, but, once again, I really wish they offered more for Latino families, or for anyone looking to learn in Spanish.


THE GIVEAWAY

So, to celebrate this small discovery and National Hispanic Heritage Month, I am giving away one of these sets. To enter, all you have to do is correctly answer four of the following twelve Brain Quest questions. I tried to pick ones that were a mix of easy and hard...(Mwuah-ha-ha!)

• For an additional entry, follow MommyMaestra on Facebook. Be sure to leave a separate comment letting me know that you did!

• Anyone able to answer all 12 questions earns the title "Supreme Trivia Master" and will be entered to win a small surprise ;)

The deadline to enter is September 30th, at 11:59 pm EST. The winner will be chosen using Random.org and be notified via email. (Please be sure to provide a valid email address with your entry.) The winner must have a valid United States mailing address.


¡Buena suerte!


1.) Who created the series of pictures entitled Los Desastres de la Guerra (The Disasters of War)?

2.) Who was called El Rey, the King of Salsa?

3.) What is the October holiday Día de la Raza called en inglés?

4.) In what country is Lake Titicaca, the world's highest inland sea that ships can cross?

5.) Is an empanada a pie or a dance?

6.) Whose language did La Malinche interpret for the Spanish during the years of conquest?

7.) What long, pointed object was thrown by the first Latina to win an Olympic gold medal?

8.) Does a person called a qisqueyano come from Chile or the Dominican Republic?

9.) Is the word cocopelao Puerto Rican slang for a bald person or a little baby?

10.) The Spanish word for "bear" is the same backward and forward. What is the word?

11.) What great humanitarian was also the first Hispanic to be named to the Baseball Hall of Fame?

12.) In which two months is Hispanic Heritage Month celebrated?


Answers next week!

This giveaway is now closed.

Congratulations to latinaish.com, the winner of the Brain Quest deck!

And un bravo grande to our Supreme Trivia Masters: Monica Young, Lupe, and Anonymous! Lupe, you have won a copy of "Dichos de mi Madre" from Latin Baby. Please contact me within 72 hours to claim it. :)

I Say Cicada, You Say Cigarra

We had the most wonderful - yet unexpected - learning opportunity the other day while we were at the park for a little break. Right as we were leaving, my daughter spotted this beautiful cicada on the ground. Her squeals of delight were joined by mine as I had never seen a cicada that had just emerged from its exoskeleton. Normally, they do this at night to avoid predation, as they are extremely vulnerable at this time.

As you can see from the picture, a newly emerged adult is so beautiful! I couldn't get over its bright, translucent green coloration, and its wings were still limp like a long flowing cape. Apparently, it takes a while for their wings to fill with blood and their new skin to harden. As it turns out, I really knew very little about these insects, so we did a little digging around our home library and on the internet...

Do they bite?

My daughter wanted to pick it up, but from what I had read, these little suckers (literally) can pierce you with their beak if they mistake you for a tree, which it sounds like they frequently do (there's not that much room in there for a brain). So we used a dead leaf to flip it over on the ground and it promptly made a bee-line for the nearest tree.

What's their diet?

Have you ever wondered what a cicada eats? I hadn't, at least not until my daughter asked me. And then I found out that the reason for said beak was to pierce and suck from the xylem of plants. The xylem is the tube that carries water and nutrients from the roots to the leaves.

Natural History...

Now there are over 100 different species of cicada found in North America alone, and more than 2000 around the world. They are, in fact, found on every continent except Antarctica.

Like many insects, their life cycle begins as an egg laid into the crevice of a tree. When they hatch, they enter their nymph stage, which is when they do most of their growing. During this time, they drop down to the ground and tunnel underground until they find a root to feast on for the next two to 17 years, depending on the species. Finally, they dig their way out and climb up the nearest tree where they shed their old skin and emerge as an adult, or imago. Most of us have only noticed them in their adult stage, after they have emerged from their exoskeleton.

There are two main types of cicada. The periodical, also known as the 17 year cicada, is the one that emerges by the millions every 17 years. But the more common one here in America is the annual, which emerges every year in small numbers.

I found out that there will be NO MAJOR PERIODICAL emergences this year. And if you'd like to find out when the next major emergence is coming to your state, check out this Cicada Mania page. This site is a wealth of information on cicadas.

Vocalization

Now I'm sure that everyone recognizes the song of the cicada. It is the intense buzzing sound outside that most of the world associates with the hot days of summer. In fact, it is the loudest of all insect calls, and one of the loudest noises found in the animal kingdom. Only the males create this racket with their "tymbals," which are structures found on either side of the base of their abdomen. But if you try to find a cicada by listening for its song, olvídatelo. They are deliberate ventriloquists whose sound cannot be pinpointed by the vertebrate ear. Only a receptive female cicada can locate her mate. Females also make noise using their wings, but the sound is completely different.

The Bilingual Edge

Growing up, I remember hearing the story of la cigarra y la hormiga. So, I dug around some, but sadly, could find very few on-line resources for this story. I hope you enjoy these.

la cigarra y la hormiga :: Cody's Cuentos (a podcast)

The story of la cigarra y la hormiga :: Guía Infantil

La cigarra y la hormiga :: Combel Editorial

Música amiga: corre al coro :: Latin Baby Book Club



Con mucho cariño...

Homeschool Essentials: Letter Tiles

I've already mentioned that every family should have a few particular items that are essential tools for supporting their child's education. Last month, we mentioned how a good globe is surprisingly versatile and can be used in many ways.

Also near the top of my Homeschooling Essentials list is a good set of letter tiles. You can find many different sets (upper case, lower case, number, etc.)  in la Librería, but don't feel pressured to buy "official" tiles created just for the student. You can often find a used Scrabble game at a garage sale for pennies that will work just as well. Or you can do what I did and head to your local Target and buy a Bananagrams game on sale.

(If you want to get really fancy, you can even buy a Spanish Scrabble game. Or you can just take a sharpie to your English letter tiles and add accents here and there.)

Anyhow, I bought my bananagrams right before school started because I was determined to provide my daughter with more manipulatives this year. And I am so glad I did. She is predominantly a hands-on learner so any kind of games or manipulatives really grab and hold her attention. The best thing about these tiles is that I can dump them on the table in front of her and let her spell until her little corazoncito is content. It is win-win because I don't have to give her much direction, yet she is still learning... and happily.

Here are some ideas for ways you can use your alphabet tiles:

• Make a list of words and call them out for your child to spell. Remember to scatter more challenging words in the list so that your child can build up his confidence on the easy ones, yet still work hard to correctly spell the harder ones. If your child becomes frustrated, scale back immediately and concentrate on easier words until she is ready.

• Play a game of scrabble or bananagrams. Believe it or not, playing a game with your parent is much more fun than playing alone.

• Have your child spell words in Spanish...or another foreign language!

• Tumble the Tower. Have your child spell one word, then ask them to change it into another word simply by placing one tile on top of another. Keep this up until the pile tips and their "tower" falls to the ground.

• Ask your child to spell backwards! (As challenging as this seems for young kids, they love it! Just be sure to keep it simple.)

• Have your child write a sentence (either one you give her, or one she makes up on her own).

• With younger kids, play a game of "I spy" (or "Veo, veo") and have them find the letters.  For example, you might say, "I spy, with my little eye, the letter "L"" or you could say, "I spy a letter that makes the sound "buh". This is an excellent game for pre-readers to learn letter recognition.

• Ask your child to arrange the tiles alphabetically.

• Ask your child to spell his name.

• Play memory match with a handful of pairs. Slowly add more pairs to make the game more challenging.


Con mucho cariño...

The Power of Role Playing for Young Children

On our very first day of school, one of the books we read was about other children playing dress up and pretending to be veterinarians. As soon as break time arrived, my kids immediately raced upstairs for their doctor toys, stuffed animals, and a white sweater (to sub as a lab coat). For the rest of the break period and after school was over, this role play dominated their play time.

Fortunately for me, they let me take a few pictures to record one of their cases. (For insurance purposes, you know.)

La doctora is in...

 

Hmmm...Apparently the diagnosis has something to do with a bad heart.

 

Pobrecito! He does look a little FOWL!!

(Jajaja! Oh, come on. It was funny!)

A little surgery should fix him right up...





¡Pues, con razón! No wonder he was grumpy!

Wouldn't you be, if you had a block stuck in you?





Anyway, all this got me to thinking and paying attention and soon I realized that at least once a day or more during their play time together, my kids are actively role playing. Veterinarian, doctor, cowboys, knights, native Americans, super heroes, explorers, royalty, scientists, bird watchers...the list is endless. Sometimes they even pretend to be the characters in books we have read or movies we've watched, like Adelita (from Tomie dePaola's novel of the same name), Rosalinda (from Under the Lemon Moon), Jack and Annie from the Magic Tree House series, or Violet and Dash from The Incredibles, to name a few.

So I started doing some reading and before you know it, I have a new found respect for this form of play. Not only is it helping them explore and develop their imaginations, but it also may also have a physical effect on my children's brains. It does, in fact, have many benefits, as I discovered after reading One Step Ahead's Pretend Play: The Magical Benefits of Role Play. And once I realized how role playing can take many forms, I discovered that the percentage of time my kids spend doing this increased exponentially.


So next time you see your kids acting out their favorite story, or making one up as they go along, don't hesitate to jump in and give them a helping hand if need be. Not only will they be delighted to have another participant, but you might just be surprised at how well they have learned their role.

You can read more about role play at one of these sites:

ROLE PLAYING IN EDUCATION :: Adam Blatner, M.D.

The Nature of Children's Play :: David Fernie

The Role of Pretend Play in Children's Cognitive Development :: Doris Bergen for Early Childhood Research and Practice

Con mucho cariño...

Weekend Links: Hispanic Heritage to Frogs

Hispanic Heritage Begins Tomorrow ~ Lessons for Kids :: Boca Beth

Resources to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Your Kids :: Modern Mami

School Week 4 :: Montessori Spanish

Back to School with a New Perspective :: Spanglish Baby

Using Cartoons to Teach Greetings :: Language Journeys

Multiplicación con regleta :: ORCA

Frog Unit :: My Bilingual Boys


Also, mi amiga, Carrie, over at the Tiki Tiki is running a series of essays this week on parenting. Marta Darby's (you remember her, don't you?) article ran on Monday, Tracy López from Latina-ish wrote a beautiful essay that ran on Wednesday, and I have a little something that runs today. I hope you will stop by and show us un poquito de cariño...

Spanish Multimedia Offers Huge Selection of Videos, Music and More

Spanish Multimedia is an on-line store filled with a number of videos for Spanish learners. In business for over 17 years, it carries over 5,000 videos, cd's and other supplies for Spanish-speaking families or Spanish learners.

If you look through the Juvenile Teaching Aids, you'll find a number of workbooks and music sets, like the Aprendamos series (shown at right), which focuses on language arts and other basic skills.

Their Children's Book section has what looks to be like a fantastic series of early readers in Spanish. These Lightning Readers feature a controlled word count to give readers practice with essential sight words. There are over 30 titles in this series, so this may be a really great resource for those of you teaching your children to read in Spanish. I'm ordering a few, so I'll get back to you on this one. There's also many other titles and series in this section, so be sure to go through it carefully.

Now possibly the best part of this site is their video section, specifically their Children's videos. There are a number of English programs in Spanish, like Animalia and Los Osos Berenstain, but there's also some Spanish shows like the Cantinflas Show (Jajaja! Stop drooling, Mama!) and Cri-Cri (Okay, Mama, go ahead.)


I am mentioning the products for children available on the site, but there is plenty for adults as well. So sneak over there and take a peak at all of the fantastic riches this site offers and then stop back by and let me know what you think...

Con mucho cariño...

Lesson Plans and Activities for Hispanic Heritage Month

 

Today marks the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Month. What a wonderful opportunity for us as parents to discuss the contributions that Latinos have made in our history. It is also a great time to talk about the diversity of Latino cultures. My kids and I will be talking about the different Spanish speaking countries in the Americas over the next few weeks and looking for activities, books, and lessons that help them appreciate and learn about their heritage.

To help those of you who are interested in supplementing your children's or students' education and celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, here are a few of my favorite sites and pages for parents and teachers:

Hispanic Heritage Lesson Plans for Elementary

• 15 Fun Hispanic Heritage Month Activities to Delight and Teach Preschoolers :: Twinkl
  
  
• Preschool: Hispanic Heritage Month :: Tons of activity ideas on Pinterest
  
  
• Pre-K School Activities With a Hispanic Heritage Theme :: SeattlePi
  
  
• Hispanic Heritage Month Kindergarten :: Do a search on TpT that includes the terms "Hispanic Heritage Month" plus the grade you are looking for, like this one!
  
  
• Hispanic Heritage Month Activities for Kids: Celebrating Latino Culture with Our Children! :: ModernMami (A great list of craft ideas)
  
  
• Hispanic Heritage Month :: NEA has a good list of K - 5 resources
  
  

Other Sites & Posts that Teach About Hispanic Heritage  

Hispanic Heritage Teaching Resources :: Smithsonian Education

This might be my favorite site for information and activities. Specifically, you might take a look at their sections "From Vaquero to Cowboy" and "Latino Family Stories" and "Música del Pueblo".


A Kid's Guide to Latino History by Valerie Petrillo

The best book on the market covering the history of Latinos in the Americas. Filled with fun activities and recipes for all ages. Click here for a complete review.


Primary & Secondary Education :: Latin American Network Information Center (LANIC)

A VERY comprehensive list of resources for educators and parents. I especially love the sections on lesson plans and resources for children.


Hispanic History :: Teaching with Historic Places

This site has some really good lesson plans for older children in both English and Spanish.


Celebrate Hispanic Heritage :: Scholastic

A good site for information and interactive learning. Lessons are divided according to grade level. Be sure to check out the Teacher's Guide for help preparing and teaching the lessons.

Printables & Digital Activities that Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

• Hispanic Heritage Month Bundle for Elementary - Each of the activities in this bundle may also be purchased separately. Click the link for more information.
  
  
• Hispanic Heritage Month BUNDLE for Middle & High School - These are also sold separately, but they work really well together.
  
  
• A More Complete History: Hispanic Activists (Unit 1) | Teach for Justice - This is a much more thorough and complex unit study of five individuals who impacted history. You can find a sample lesson available for free. The individual lessons are being released starting with Jovita Idár.
  
  
• Hispanics in History BUNDLE - Two of my most popular reading comprehension packets highlight both Latinas and Afro-Latinos in history. 

Other Posts You May Enjoy

• Printable Lessons and Activities to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
  
  
• Hispanic Heritage Month 2021 Resources
  
  
• How to Host a Children's Hispanic Heritage Month Party
  
  
• Exploring Spain: A Printable Coloring Page for Hispanic Heritage Month

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Art Lessons

Allowing our children to explore and create is a valuable part of their education. There is a reason that we begin by giving our little toddlers paper and crayons. It helps to develop hand-to-eye coordination and prepares them for writing. But there is something deeply satisfying at seeing your own masterpiece take shape on a blank piece of paper. And if we stop and pay attention, it is fascinating to watch our child's ability to translate to paper what they imagine in their minds.

The benefits that I have discovered from my children's drawing time are many:

Expression of Self

Drawing provides them with an opportunity to reveal dreams, hopes, and secret desires. For whatever reason, sometimes it is difficult for them to put into words those things about which they are thinking. Most of the time, this is a self motivated activity, though I sometimes give them some paper and pencils with directions to "draw something you hope for/dream about".

Fine Motor Development

It is really exciting to watch as their fine motor abilities develop and mature over time. Drawing allows them to master their use of a pencil/crayon so that when it comes time to learn how to write, they are better prepared and therefore, less frustrated.

Comprehension Assessment

Having the children draw the sequence or an alternate ending to a story we've just read, allows me to gauge whether or not they have understood the story and/or the concepts conveyed within. This activity really makes them stop to think about the elements of a story (characters, setting, plot) so that they can accurately depict them in their artistic version.

Focusing the Mind

Occasionally, if my kids seem distracted during an activity, pulling out a journal or paper can help to settle them down and focus on the subject. Today, while doing a science project, my daughter was easily distracted and having trouble with patience. By handing her the science journal and asking her to chart and draw her experiment, I was able to help direct her attention and calm her down.

Point of View

Last week, for the first time, I asked my daughter to examine an object from the top, side, and bottom. Then she was asked to draw what she saw. It was a fabulous way to discuss how things can appear different depending on how you look at them. I feel this concept will serve us well in the future when discussing problem solving.

Having the right tools can also inspire your children to action. My local Michaels currently has several Artist's Tool Boxes on sale for $10. I had been keeping my eye on them for a while, so I snatched up the Drawing Tool Box as soon as I saw them at a more affordable price. It comes with a nice assortment of drawing pencils, erasers, stumps and tortillons, soft pastels, colored pencils, charcoal pencils, sharpener, sketch book, and manakin. And they are all packaged in a small carrying case to help keep things organized in one place.

In order to enjoy these last warm days of summer, we packed up our art equipment and headed to our local park, where we spent the next several hours observing our surroundings and then drawing it on paper. These excursions have actually become some of our favorite moments together. There's nothing like an afternoon spent outdoors, quietly soaking in nature and allowing your creativity to flow. I hope you consider taking some time in the next few weeks to do the same.

To learn more about drawing development in children, check out these sites...

Art Development in Young Children :: eHow

Drawing Development in Children  :: Viktor Lowenfeld

Developmental Art Stages - Art And Your Child :: Artists Helping Children

Art is Important in a Child’s Development :: The Parenting Magazine

Con mucho cariño...

Bilingual Astronomy Book Needs Our Votes

Finding bilingual resources for homeschooling families continues to be a challenge. So of course, I am just so happy when I stumble upon new products or sites that help us on our educational journey. Part of teaching our children is finding ways to make them enjoy the learning process or to spark their interest and imaginations so that they are eager to learn more.

Last week I happened upon this article announcing a new bilingual art book on astronomy for children. Snapshots of the Universe/Instantáneas del universo was created last year by Dark Skies, Bright Kids (DSBK), a program run by volunteer students at the University of Virginia. Their goal is to enhance science education for elementary kids, especially in rural southern Albemarle County elementary schools.

Many of the children attending these rural schools are of Latino heritage, so Kelsey Johnson, the astronomer in charge of the program, and her volunteers have been actively reaching out to these students whose first language is Spanish. In an effort to engage a particularly shy third-grader, Johnson asked one of her team members, Laura Jackson, for help.

Now it so happens that Laura just graduated from the university with a Spanish degree and a minor in astronomy. She also dabbles in art. Excited about the opportunity, Laura began creating paintings of objects found in the universe - el sol/the sun, la luna/the moon, el cohete/the rocket, la Tierra/the Earth - and she labeled them in both English and Spanish. 

The pictures were such a hit with the teachers and (more importantly) with the students, that DSBK decided to develop the idea even further and create a book using the many talents contributed by other university students.  The text was expanded to give more detail, and native speakers from Chile, Mexico, and Spain reviewed it for accuracy.

DSBK is now looking to upload the book to their website by the end of the year and make it available as a free digital download for bilingual families all over the world.

But their most pressing goal is to print up 8,000 copies of Snapshots of the Universe/Instantáneas del universo in order to place them in third grade classrooms throughout Virginia, as well as in every one of the state’s public elementary school libraries.

To do this, DSBK has applied for a $25,000 grant from the Pepsi Refresh educational grant program. Because Pepsi allows the public to vote for the applicants, DSBK really needs every vote it can get.

We can help! Everyday between now and the end of September, you can vote for DSBK’s bilingual book project. If you’d like to learn more about the Dark Skies, Bright Kids program, visit their website.

It is SO IMPORTANT for us to support projects like these which serve to further our children's education. Not only does it benefit us, since they are working to make the digital version available to us for free, but it also helps so many children, Latino and non-Latino, to get an opportunity to find the beauty and excitement in learning about science.

I hope you will join me in voting for this most deserving project.



Con mucho cariño...

Weekend Links: Math to Chores

Cubico Math Game :: Homeschool Parent

Tridio :: ORCA

Bookmarks to Make :: The Crafty Crow

Hop Skip and Sing Spanish :: Teaching Español

The Power of Cereal Boxes :: Wanna Jugar with Migo?

Speaking in Tongues :: PBS Video Portal

Homeschool Encouragement: Reflections from a Homeschool Graduate :: Simple Homeschool

Responsibuilders (This sounds like a great tool for families to use to make chore assignments more fun. Too bad it is not available in Spanish. I am thinking about purchasing one for my family.) 

Children's Blog in Spanish: Los Bloguitos

Parents with children whose first language is Spanish will love Los Bloguitos.

Created exclusively for children, this blog is written completely in Spanish. Niños of all ages can benefit from the site as it boosts literacy skills and supports imaginative development through short stories, poems, word searches, comic strips, anecdotes, and fun activities . Small children will enjoy looking at the short videos and illustrations while having the poems and short stories read to them. Older kids can enjoy reading the excerpts for themselves or by contributing works of their own.

Los Bloguitos has an impressive list of contributors starting with its creators René Colato Laínez, Graciela Lecube-Chavez, Christianne Meneses Jacobs, Leticia Pontoni, and Mara Price.  In addition, the blog is enriched by the words and art of a talented group of authors - Isabel Arraiza-Arana, Amy Costales, Edwin Fontanez, Julia del Prado, Maria Gabetta, Maria Perez, Maria Rico, Zoraida Rivera, Sandra Torres - and illustrators - Joan Charles, Steven Corvelo, K. Michale Crawford, Suzy Engelman, Hernan Estrada, Carol Heyer, Sharon Kroner, Laura Lacamara, Yuyi Morales. (Can you say, "Increíble"?)

I asked one of the creators and mi amigo, René Colato Laínez (who is also a contributor to the LBBC), if there was anything special he wanted me to say about Los Bloguitos. He replied by saying that they are always looking for collaborations (poems, stories, cuentos, teaching ideas) from teachers, writers, and children. All the submissions need to be in Spanish.

So consider this a wonderful opportunity to strengthen your child's writing skills, or think about contributing a short story that you have created for your children or students.

But most of all, take the time to explore Los Bloguitos with your children. It is sure to become one of your favorite sites.

Con mucho cariño...

Teach Your Children the Complete Story: A Kid's Guide to Latino History

This book is such a valuable resource!

A Kid’s Guide to Latino History (aff) by Valerie Petrillo could almost be used as a lesson manual discussing the History of Latinos in the Americas, as well as for geography and cultural awareness. The book is fun and educational, but this one is better suited for older children ages 7 and up. However, many of the activities may be modified for younger children.

The work itself is broken down into 10 categories, beginning with Columbus’ discovery of the New World and working its way through the contributions and history of the various Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America. Each chapter offers not only the history of a country or people, but also gives directions for creating a craft or recipe from that country. For example, in chapter four, Petrillo highlights Mexican Americans and offers instructions for playing various games such as Lotería, as well as how to make capirotada, cascarones, pan de muerto, and even farolitos. And this is just a sampling! Some of the other chapters focus on Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Dominicans, and Central and South Americans.

This awesome book is more of a learning manual full of creative projects to capture your child’s interest and pride in their own heritage. One of the things seriously lacking in most (if not all) homeschooling curricula, is a good text describing our history and the important role that Latinos have played in the formation of the United States.

The back of the book is also full of resources for parents and teachers. Included is a bibliography for children AND adults, a list of Latino museums, a section on Latino movies and videos, websites for kids, and finally, an awesome teacher’s guide, which breaks down the activities by grade level, ways to modify the activities, and suggests extended learning opportunities.

This book is an excellent supplement to ANY child’s education and includes a lot of information that your child more than likely would not learn in any school history class. It is a great addition to any bilingual family’s library, and certainly one that will be used often. If you would like to buy your own copy of A Kid’s Guide to Latino History, please click here:

Print-and-Go Activities for Exploring Latino History

If you are looking for easy downloads that focus on historical figures or different Latin American countries and cultures, perhaps one of these would be a good choice for you.

100 Hispanic in World History Research Packet

Designed for older children, this 79-page unit allows students to choose from a list of 100 Hispanics in world history to research and share. The list is available in two formats:

•    The historical figures are arranged by century starting with the 1400s to the present
• The historical figures are arranged by field of influence, including musicians, artists, activists, scientists, athletes, writers, journalists, actors, leaders & politicians, and other notable figures.

Pages for note-taking, research, and one-page presentations are included, as are additional pages for comparing/contrasting historical figures, word association, and listing new vocabulary.

In addition, date cards and information labels are included for creating a timeline display on a wall.

Country Coloring Activities

This bundle shows 4, but I have activity packs available for six countries: Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Spain, Peru, and Venezuela. More countries are on the way, so just check back. Each one introduces children to the country with a printable map for them to color in and fact page with facts numbered to match the images on the map. 

Hispanics in History Fandex

These fact files may be used as individual bookmarks or a fandex. It features 36 historical figures. Directions for fandex assembly and use, as well as individual worksheets, cut-outs and answer key included.

Hispanic in History Character Crowns

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by playing "Who Am I?" with this set of character crowns featuring 30 influential Hispanics in History.

Each crown comes with a fact sheet and extension strips for making the crown. Directions for assembly and instructions on different ways to play the game, as well as different ways to use the crowns are included. Available in English AND Spanish.

10 Latinas in History Reading Comprehension Passages

One-page reading passages about the following 10 famous Latinas:

1. Ellen Ochoa
2. Isabel Allende
3. Dara Torres
4. Frida Kahlo
5. Linda Ronstadt
6. Dolores Huerta
7. Sonia Sotomayor
8. Carolina Herrera
9. Rita Moreno
10. Sor Juana de la Cruz

I've also included reading comprehension worksheets that focus on facts and vocabulary from the passages, a matching activity, dictionary reference, and complete the sentence. Answer key included. ENGLISH AND SPANISH.

Afro-Latinos in History Reading Comprehension Passages

A set of one-page reading passages about the following seven famous Afro-Latinos:

• Celia Cruz
• Sammy Davis, Jr.
• Soledad O'Brien
• Roberto Clemente
• Martina Arroyo
• Pelé
• Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez

Reading comprehension questions for each reading passage are included. I've also added reading comprehension worksheets that focus on vocabulary from the passages, a matching activity, true or false, describing words, and a Venn diagram for comparing characters. Answer key included. The reading passages are available in full color or black and white.

Other Posts You May Enjoy:

• A Mini-Lesson on Bill Meléndez
• Dolores Huerta Lesson Plans, Activities, Coloring Sheets and More
• Frida Kahlo Lesson Plans, Activities, Coloring Sheets and More
• Hispanic Poets: One-Page Reading Passages
• Las Adelitas for Kids & Young Adults
• Arturo Alfonso Schomburg Reading Passage
• 3 Hispanic Women Who Rocked World History

Con mucho cariño...